Embrace Creativity During Winter : 5 Tips

It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s winter and you’ve just lost all your ambition to photograph. It’s ok, don’t force yourself. Often the winter months are a time for photographers to relax and rejuvenate. However, it doesn’t mean just because Mother Nature is against you that you just stop photographing altogether. Instead, see it as a challenge and reignite your creativity. Here are 5 tips on how to warm up your creativity during the cold months.

1. Experiment 

You don’t need to go out and buy the latest gear to make a great image.  Use what you have, but maybe use it in a different way. Challenge yourself to think outside the box.  The best person to demonstrate this point is Alexey Kijatov from Moscow. He made some incredibly powerful images of snowflakes using his Canon Powershot A650 along with a  Helios 44M-5. Photography is a hobby for him that he started about 10-12 years ago.
Through a lot of experimentation, he was able to create something incredible and beautiful using only what he had but in a different light. You can view his behind the scenes set up HERE. You can also view more of his astonishing work HERE. 

[Images from Alexey Kljatov]

2. Same Thing Different Day

I started noticing on my daily walk that there was a certain tree that although completely bare, changed from day to day by its inhabitants. So every day, I challenged myself to photograph it. I used different lenses different angles and different post-processing. There were some I wasn’t quite happy with but overall I enjoyed the challenge of shooting the same thing every day but showing the daily changes.

 

3. Inside/Outside

Shoot the outside from the inside or the inside from the outside. Windows lend themselves to great natural filters. It’s fun knowing the rain or snow on the window is temporary and this filter has a short lifespan.

[Image from Saul Blumenthal saul@saulb.com www.saulb.com]

4.  Post Production Push

So you have your look down and you are known for it. So, let’s take some time out and do the exact opposite. If you are known for your crisp color images, try some different black and white techniques. If you are known for your dark, dramatic images try incorporating lighter elements.

 

5. Bring a +1

Head outdoors and bring a photographer friend. Photograph the same scene or object then compare. It’s fun to see through another person’s viewfinder. I have my preferred method of shooting leaving a lot of negative space so for me I like to go with people who fill the frame. You are never too old to learn or to appreciate another angle.

The winter months can be a tough time to find your creativity you have to work at it, to keep yourself inspired. Looking for even more inspiration? Try these 5 tips on photographing wildlife in the winter. Click HERE.